title: Supplementation effect with slow-release urea in feed blocks for Thai beef cattle--nitrogen utilization, blood biochemistry, and hematology.
abstract: Four Thai male native beef cattle, initial body weight (BW) of 100 ± 3.0 kg were randomly assigned in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments with inclusion of urea calcium sulphate mixture (U-cas) in feed block (FB) at 0, 120, 150, and 180 g/kg dry matter (DM). Total intakes were increased with the increasing level of U-cas supplementation in FB and the result obtained the highest when supplementation of U-cas in FB at 180, followed by 150, 120, and 0 g/kg DM, respectively. Moreover, supplementation of U-cas in FB at 180 g/kg DM could reduce total N excretion (4.1 g/day), as compared to others treatments, while N retention and proportion of N retention to N intake were increased up to 6.9 g/day and 14.9 %, respectively. On the other hand, the blood biochemistry and hematological parameters were not different among treatments except concentration of plasma urea N, plasma glucose, and total blood protein were improved especially with U-cas supplementation at 180 g/kg DM in FB. In conclusion, supplementation of U-cas at 180 g/kg in FB improved feed intake, N utilization, and blood biochemistry in Thai native beef cattle fed on rice straw.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Feed Resources Research and Development Center (TROFREC), Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand, anusornc@kku.ac.th.
authors.forename: Anusorn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cherdthong
authors.forename: Metha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wanapat
authors.forename: Damrongrak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rakwongrit
authors.forename: Waroon
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Khota
authors.forename: Sayan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khantharin
authors.forename: Gasama
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tangmutthapattharakun
authors.forename: Sungchhang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Suban
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Foiklang
authors.forename: Kampanat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Phesatcha
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D001835:Body Weight; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D014508:Urea / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014508:Urea; D009584:Nitrogen